Chapter 15

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

During the noon break, everyone lay on their dormitory beds resting, and Chen Geng dropped a bombshell.

"Have you heard? Our school is recruiting soldiers!"

Hearing this, Lv Muzhi was puzzled: "Recruiting soldiers? What kind of soldiers? Our own military academy's soldiers?"

Chen Geng's words left Lv Muzhi confused. According to Lv Muzhi's memory, the military academy had its own armed forces starting from the Training Regiment, but that wouldn't be established until November, and it was only September now.

"Of course our own soldiers. I only found out now too. They were secretly recruited from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, all workers and children of peasant families." Chen Geng said this with light flashing in his eyes.

Lv Muzhi thought it was even more absurd: "Secretly recruited? How could you know about secret recruitment?", Song Xilian also retorted.

Chen Geng laughed: "How about it, you don't believe me, do you? But I'm telling you, they're right here at Whampoa Military Academy now!"

Lv Muzhi jumped up from the bed, looking utterly incredulous.

Chen Geng crossed his arms over his chest and said smugly: "Haven't you noticed Jiang Xiangyun and Li Zhilong are missing? Go to the port in front of the school gate and see for yourself—there are many more sturdy men there."

Those in the dormitory all ran to the school gate to check.

Indeed, two warships were docked at the wharf, with a large number of sturdy men disembarking from the warships and lining up on the wharf.

All instructors at the military academy were present, and some students were also on the scene maintaining order.

Lv Muzhi calculated: it was September now, these people looked untrained, but after two months of training, it would be November, exactly matching the historical time of the Training Regiment's founding!

The Principal wanted to station the Training Regiment's troops on Huangpu Island for training!

"No wonder a large area of simple camps was built on the south side of Huangpu Island. It's for training soldiers!" Lv Muzhi suddenly understood.

"Yes. After they're trained, once we graduate we can serve as grassroots officers in this army." Chen Geng nodded, seeing the Principal's and Grand Marshal's intentions.

At this moment, inside the Grand Marshal's Office,

the Grand Marshal convened a group of officers for an important meeting.

"Gentlemen, the Second Zhili-Fengtian War is raging. According to our agreement with the Anhui clique and the Fengtian clique, now is a good time to launch the Northern Expedition and destroy the Zhili clique in one stroke. Cough cough cough..." The Grand Marshal raised his fist high, but his health was poor, so he had to put his hand down again.

"Grand Marshal... please take care of your health!" Liao Zhongkai looked at the Grand Marshal with a worried face.

"It's nothing... cough cough... What do you all think? This opportunity comes once in a thousand years. Whether the Northern Expedition succeeds depends on this one move!" The Grand Marshal swept his gaze over the high officials attending the meeting.

Commander-in-Chief of the Guangdong Army Xu Zhongzhi said with some concern: "Grand Marshal, Chen Jiongming is still in the Dongjiang. Our rear isn't very stable..." Xu Chongzhi's words left everyone present in silence.

The Grand Marshal sighed: "We use Guangzhou as our headquarters, fighting year after year. I can feel that voices of dissatisfaction are growing, especially in the business world. Otherwise, how could Chen Lianbo's Merchant Corps have grown so large?"

"Everyone has been too comfortable in Guangzhou for too long and may have forgotten about the Northern Expedition. So I propose: taking advantage of the Second Zhili-Fengtian War, quickly march into the Xiang-Gan provinces. Once we take these two provinces, even if Chen Jiongming causes trouble, abandoning Guangdong wouldn't be unacceptable!"

The Grand Marshal's risky move made everyone at the meeting look at each other in dismay.

Everyone understood that the Grand Marshal had been revolutionizing for decades and was gradually growing old, his health declining day by day, but the revolutionary cause had not yet succeeded. This risky move was probably intended to achieve one last Northern Expedition in his lifetime.

Soviet Advisor Borodin, seeing no one speak, said to the translator: "Grand Marshal, abandoning Guangzhou is absolutely the wrong choice. Chen Jiongming hasn't been wiped out yet. If the main army goes on the Northern Expedition and Guangzhou falls, the spark of revolution will be severely damaged;"

"Even if you take the Xiang-Gan provinces, losing Guangdong's ports—how will Soviet aid and supplies get through?"

Secretary-General of Headquarters and Party Representative of Whampoa Military Academy Liao Zhongkai comforted the Grand Marshal:

"Grand Marshal, don't lose hope over Guangzhou. Local merchants don't support us, but what about the workers and peasants? One of your Three Major Policies is to support workers and peasants—that's the reason. Communist Party members are organizing trade unions and peasant associations. We will gain the support of the majority of the people."

Central Executive Committee Member Hu Hanming, hearing this, was very dissatisfied and immediately declared: "The Northern Expedition is indeed important. I don't understand military affairs, but I think we should guard against the Workers and Peasants Party. If the Northern Expedition succeeds one day, I fear the fruits of the revolution will be snatched by the Workers and Peasants Party!"

Liao Zhongkai immediately stood up to retort: "Hanming, don't drag in irrelevant things here. The Soviet Advisor is right here. Our Northern Expedition cannot do without the Workers and Peasants Party. Now, during the Second Zhili-Fengtian War, the Grand Marshal intends to launch the Northern Expedition, and you're still talking about guarding against the Workers and Peasants Party. Isn't that cutting off one's own arm? Foolish!"

"Alright, alright, Zhongkai, don't be so excited. Let the meeting be a meeting and let people speak... And Hanming, we're discussing the Northern Expedition. Don't bring up other things." The Grand Marshal spoke to mediate, bringing the topic back to the Northern Expedition.

The Grand Marshal looked around and saw that Qingtian Party Central Executive Committee Member Wang Weiyuan had been silent, so he asked: "Illumination, what do you think?"

Wang Weiyuan was stunned for half a second, looked at the Soviet Advisor, then at Liao Zhongkai and the silent Chang Principal, and said: "Illumination follows the Grand Marshal's lead!"

The Grand Marshal shook his head slightly, seeing that Chief of Staff of the Guangdong Army and Principal of Whampoa Military Academy Chang Kaiseng was also silent: "Kaiseng, why aren't you speaking?"

The Principal had been waiting for the Grand Marshal to ask him personally, to show he was different and make a grand finale entrance.

"People always say the mantis stalks the cicada while the oriole waits behind. In the Second Zhili-Fengtian War, it's correct that we seize the opportunity to launch the Northern Expedition, but I don't know whether we are the mantis or the oriole."

"Currently, under the influence of Britain and other forces within the Party, the Merchant Corps' armed forces have not been disbanded. We have only issued a warrant for the arrest of Merchant Corps leader Chen Lianbo, while other business tycoons still control the Merchant Corps' armed forces. Not to mention Chen Jiongming's tens of thousands of troops stationed in the Dongjiang area, eyeing us covetously. The rear is unstable..."

The Principal's words were clearly not what the Grand Marshal wanted to hear. What he wanted was simply someone to support him.

"Kaiseng, what you say is reasonable. I understand in my heart... I'm just... running out of time. Cough cough." After speaking, the Grand Marshal began coughing again.

Wang Weiyuan hurriedly patted the Grand Marshal's back and said to the Principal: "Kaiseng, don't say such things. I think as long as our marching speed is fast enough, Chen Jiongming can't make waves!"

Hearing Wang Weiyuan's words, the Principal was speechless, then quickly added: "Grand Marshal, the rear cannot be left undefended, but the timing of the Northern Expedition must also be seized. I think we can temporarily move north to Shaoguan, observe the timing, and then decide on the next step."

Commander-in-Chief of the Guangdong Army Xu Zhongzhi nodded and immediately agreed: "Kai Sheng's words are wise counsel. Shaoguan borders the Xiang-Gan provinces. Our army can split into two routes and march into both provinces simultaneously for the Northern Expedition;"

"At the same time, Shaoguan borders Guangzhou. If we station troops in Shaoguan, once a rebellion breaks out in the rear, we can quickly return to reinforce it. How about... we first prepare the troops, then wait and see?"

The Grand Marshal sighed. He had revolutionized his whole life, driven out the Qing Dynasty, and then warlords came. Now his health was declining day by day, and the situation in Guangdong was unstable. He didn't know if he could live to see the day of revolutionary victory...

"Since that's the case, the Army and Navy Headquarters will immediately relocate to Shaoguan to await the best time to launch the expedition. Hu Hanming will remain in Guangdong Province as Acting Grand Marshal and Governor of Guangdong Province to stabilize the rear. Jiang Kaisheng will remain at Whampoa Military Academy to train troops. Everyone else, follow me north to Shaoguan."

The Grand Marshal compromised after all, choosing a middle-ground solution, and thought of the Training Regiment that had been recruited.

"Kaiseng, the troops for one regiment you wanted have already been recruited for you. Stay on Huangpu Island to train the troops. In two months, the First Phase students will graduate, and the troops will be trained enough. By the way, this force will be called the Training Regiment. I hope that one day you can lead the Training Regiment with me on the Northern Expedition." The Grand Marshal instructed.

The Principal's heart was already restless at this moment. Although Hu Hanming could act as Grand Marshal in Guangzhou, the Principal was not jealous at all. Now he finally had an army that completely obeyed him!

But he still pretended to be calm: "Thank you, Grand Marshal! The teachers and students of Whampoa will surely not betray the Grand Marshal's trust. In two months, we will train a brand new Training Regiment!"

Saying this, the Principal looked at the Grand Marshal with teary eyes: "Premier, please take care of your health in Shaoguan. I will select a day to send a detachment of Whampoa Student Army to Shaoguan to protect the Premier!"